Applied Science
by Blackwolf-20
Summary: As Daniel struggles with a way to get himself, Sawyer, Miles and Juliet back to their own time, he wonders if it would be so bad to explain it to someone he already knows.  LostInLost18 Challenge fic: Daniel & Ben .


**Disclaimer: I don't own Lost**

**This story is a response to ****LostInLost18** **challenge with the characters Daniel and Ben. I set it in the 70's when Daniel, Sawyer, Juliet and Miles had traveled back to that period. As Daniel struggles with a way to get them back to their time, he wonders if it would be so bad to explain it to someone.**

Applied Science

Daniel shifted nervously through the many files and papers that were spread out before him on a lunch table outside. Many of the papers consisted of his own writings, while others he had received from endless searches in books and secret stashes from his past. Daniel looked from one paper to the other, then every once in a while, he'd turn to a small brown book. He muttered to himself as he absorbed certain lines and equations that interested him and wrote them down on a separate piece of paper. He had spent his whole morning studying the documents and ignoring the odd looks of passerby.

Daniel knew he should be more careful. The place to perform such research was inside and not out in the open where members of the Dharma Initiative could catch a glimpse of his work. If by some chance they found out he didn't belong in the 1970's, that he was from the future, he, along with Sawyer, Juliet, and Miles would be in major trouble.

That was, only if they believed they were from the future. He was convinced scientists like Dr. Pierre Chang would take a closer inspection of his notes and files if he saw them.

Therefore, it was reckless to do this out in the open, but he was on a mission. He needed to find the solution to getting them back to their own time. So far, none of his documents were helping. He sighed and scratched his head wildly. He was starting to wonder if it would be so bad to get Miles' father to look at the notes.

The sound of a child's laughter distracted him and he looked up. Not too far away from where he was working, there was a swing set. A small red-headed girl was squealing with joy as she tossed her legs up to get the swing to soar higher.

Daniel was fascinated because he knew her. He knew who she was and he couldn't do anything about it. Ever since he and the others had traveled back in time, he encouraged the motto that "_Whatever happened, happened"_, meaning they could not change the past no matter what they did. Daniel wished it weren't true. He wished he could say something to her. Tell her that this was a dangerous place and she should never return to it. It would be for a good reason, to keep her safe. But he wasn't sure he could. He wasn't sure it would make much difference.

"I'm sorry Charlotte," he muttered. "I'm so sorry."

"Who are you talking to?"

Daniel jumped in surprise and turned. A young boy with light brown hair and glasses was suddenly standing beside him. Daniel gawked at him, wide-eyed and opened mouth as if he was some great mystery. The boy only stared back.

Daniel was slightly unnerved, so he turned and looked back at the red-haired girl. She was so different from the child standing next to him.

"Do you know her?" he asked as he to looked at the red-haired girl.

Daniel wanted to say "not yet", but couldn't.

"Ah...sort of. Do you?"

The boy shook his head. Then he stepped closer and looked at the papers spread across the table.

"Are you a scientist?" he asked.

Daniel looked at him, not the least bit surprised that he would ask so many questions.

"Yeah, I am. You ask a lot of questions, Ben."

The boy quirked an eyebrow and really looked at him.

"How do you know my name?"

Daniel shrugged. "Someone told me."

Ben didn't seem convinced.

"Who are you?"

Daniel hesitated before confessing. His future self would know. "Daniel Farraday."

Ben processed this information before turning to his papers.

"So what are you researching? Stuff for Dharma experiments?"

Daniel noticed he said it with such distaste, which expressed his hatred for the people surrounding him. Daniel eyed him curiously. The last thing he should be doing was sharing his secret research with a ten year old Benjamin Linus. The wrong words could further influence his actions against Dharma. At that thought, Daniel couldn't help but feel a sense of pity for him.

"No, they're experiments for me," he said as he looked back at them. Ben peered over his shoulder.

"Looks complicated."

When Daniel looked at him again and saw a serious look in his eyes. Though he said it looked complicated, he appeared to have some understanding of what the equations were. Daniel gathered them up in an effort to prevent him from reading anymore.

"It is," he said hastily. Ben dropped his shoulders and appeared a little hurt by his willingness to keep Ben from investigating. "Do you like science Ben?"

Ben shrugged. "It depends."

"Yeah, well science can be...a good way to make sense of things. But here, it's hard to apply, science."

Ben frowned. Daniel smiled, thinking Ben was probably wondering why he was rambling.

"What would you say if I told you I was from the future?"

Ben raised his eyebrows and looked taken aback. "Prove it."

"Well I wish I could, but all I have is my word. And the fact that I know you."

"What do you know about me?"

"I know, for one thing I know you have an interest, in the hostiles."

For a second, he looked worried that Daniel had discovered something he shouldn't. Then his face became unreadable.

"What makes you think I have an interest in them?" he asked. "They're our enemies."

"Are they Ben?" Daniel asked, as a way of gagging whether the hostiles had really been the enemy or if that was Ben's honest opinion of them. Though he showed no interest in his question, Daniel could tell it was a lie. That Ben didn't think they were the enemy. No. He had some interest in them. Daniel didn't know everything about the boy before him, which meant that he didn't understand his reasons for liking the hostiles. The only thing he could think was that he was bored with his life among the Initiative.

Ben seemed to brighten at his question, thinking Daniel shared the same thoughts about the hostiles as he did. He shrugged.

"They don't bother us as long as we don't bother them."

"Ah...I see," he replied as he turned back to his papers.

"What else do you know about me?"

"Hmm, well, I know..." He paused as he stared back at him. He knew this wasn't a good idea. He knew he shouldn't have said anything at all, but it was too late now. But, there was still a chance to experiment. To apply a new kind of science by twisting his words and examining a possible changed result. "I know you may get exactly what you want, Ben, everything you think you want, but...it's a mistake. Now it's not my place to tell you what to do, but I do have some advice."

So far, he seemed quite pleased to hear that his dreams of what he wanted (particularly of becoming a hostile) would come true. But at his last comment, he quirked a curious eyebrow.

"What?"

"Don't...allow it to overcome you. I've made that mistake before, because I was driven to it. Whatever reasons you have for joining the hostiles, don't-"

"Benjamin!"

Both Daniel and Ben turned at the cry. A lanky haired janitor teetered on the edge of his porch, holding a can of beer, and looking all around the encampment for any sign of his son. He stumbled as he stepped off the porch.

"Benjamin! Where the hell are you boy?"

The boy flushed with shame and dropped his head.

"I have to go."

Daniel, still surprised by the interruption, nodded.

"Oh...okay."

Ben hurried away, heading toward the man who stopped his calling to shout at him for being late. He grabbed onto the child's arm and dragged him into the house. So now he knew. He knew where his interest in the hostiles came from. Daniel understood. He hadn't had an easy parent either. Daniel turned back to his work, but before he started researching, he looked up at the red-headed girl. She had stopped swinging and was talking to her mother. She smiled and gave Charlotte a cherry popsicle. She was a completely different parent from Ben's, which clearly resulted in different childhoods; one happier than the other.

Maybe it wouldn't make a difference if he talked to her and told her not to return. On the other hand, maybe it would. But after revealing a truth to Ben, which was his choice to believe, he felt he could break the rule for a second time. At least he'd know he'd tried.

He had tried to save Ben after all, and he knew the consequences of that.

**I hope that works for your challenge LostinLost18. As for the rest of you just reading it, I hope you enjoyed it. This oneshot was slightly difficult as I was never a fan of Daniel, but I hoped to make it work for the challenge. Daniel, deciding to experiment with the idea of telling Ben the truth, which he probably wouldn't remember after getting shot.**

**Reviews appreciated. **

**WE NEED MORE LITTLE BEN STORIES ON HERE!**


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